A process for stabilizing an aroma-providing component such as coffee aroma against loss or degradation of its flavor or sensory characteristics by associating the aroma-providing component with a stabilizing agent in an amount effective to reduce or prevent the loss or degradation of the flavor or sensory characteristics of the component and form a stabilized aroma-providing component followed by removing the stabilizing agent from the stabilized coffee aroma prior to packaging for storage or prior to adding the stabilized coffee aroma to a food or beverage product. The resulting stabilized aroma-providing component is essentially free of the stabilizing agent and may be incorporated into a food or beverage product with the initial flavor or sensory characteristics of the stabilized component being retained for a time period of at least two months during storage of the food or beverage product.